27 replies to this topic

[DaveBond21]

In a recent poll, 53% of Scottish people voted that they would like their country to separate from the rest of Britain and become independent. In the same poll, 58% of English people agreed.

Of course, the Scottish Independent Party jumped on these stats as a viable reason for Scotland to become independent from the rest of Britain.

But does it make much sense?

Socially it doesn't, as many Scots live in England, just as many English people live in Scotland. Economically it could be risky for Scotland. Of course Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chancellor Gordon Brown are against this, as they will lose money, and also potentially may not be allowed to govern England, being Scots - plus they say Scotland relies on money from England to survive economically. Others have commented that Scotland can go on its own as long as it promises to relieve England of the disaster that is Blair and Brown, as well as other Scottish senior ministers in the British government, like John Reid!


What do you think about it? What will happen?

[JCRendle]

If that happens then there will be three non-British Bonds, as Connery will join Brosnan and Lazenby.

[ACE]

Sean Connery's views:

[DaveBond21]

If that happens then there will be three non-British Bonds

Yes.


But there will actually be no such thing as Britain, if that happens.

[bill007]

...or "The U.K."

For me (a Yank with no real say-so here), public opinion would have to turn into a movement, which then has to show its' power through elections. Then comes the motion to separate, and the ensuing logistical nightmare. Believe me, I've thought this through in a different, but parallel, concept: Should Texas succeed from the U. S.? And yes, there is a public opinion and movement brewing over that, as unreal as it seems.

[DaveBond21]

Dr Blockbuster, I have no problem with England looking after itself, as long as the Scots Tony Blair and Gordon Brown stop running us....


...I also recommend that Scotland doesn't ask for them back either!!!


Deal?

Cheers....

[TheREAL008]

My grandfather is fine with it. He was dancing on tables when Scotland got it's own parlament and if Scotland did seperate from the rest of the U.K. he probably could die a happy man.

[Jim]

Us Scots can look after ourseles , it is the rest of the world that needs to worry:

In the morning, when we wake from our stupour, similar to an Anaesthetic (James Simpson), we have some Marmalade at breakfast before we go off to work, and perhaps take some Irn-Bru ( ) to drink during the day.

As it is winter, we put on our Raincoats, then collecting our Thermos flasks we head off. Thankfully we don't have to take the Steam Engine (James Watt) these days and instead have vehicles with Pneumatic Tyres (John Dunlop). So we set off to work along the Roads (John Loudon [Tarmac] McAdam) we invented and across the Bridges (Thomas Telford) we invented. We have real busy days using the Telephone we invented in 1876, and just occasionally the Telegraph. We know the Economics (Adam Smith) of business, so we are always correct .


On the way home... we stop off at the chemist to pick up some Antiseptic (Lister) and perhaps some Penicillin (Fleming). If it's been a hard day we fix ourselves a Whisky, and you know .. we might read about Dolly the sheep, the first animal cloned, in Edinburgh in 1997.

What happens in the evening depends on the weather and the state of mind of one's partner ... for this latter, we use RADAR that we invented as well (Sir Robert Watson-Watt). If it is a nice evening, we might be out on the Golf course, but if not, we may resort to reading a Historical Novel ("invented" by Sir Walter Scott) or more likely, like alot of people, we can watch Television that we invented in 1876 (John Logie Baird).
We check on our finances ... North Sea Oil ... to find that they have been plundered by the British government!
There's nothing much we can do about that at the moment, so we have another Whisky and then join hands and sing: AULD LANG SYNE ... written, of course, by Robert Burns

YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT AT NEW YEAR , WON'T YOU .... AULD LANG SYNE (and you don't cross your hands til the second verse!!!)

Couldn't you have thanked Sir Tim Berners-Lee for the opportunity to broadcast all that?

[JCRendle]

Sean Connery's views:

Thank you ACE .. that'll do nicely !!!

If that happens then there will be three non-British Bonds, as Connery will join Brosnan and Lazenby.

No, no no ... what you mean is 3 non-English Bonds ... I have no problem witrh that!

Ah, your forgetting Dalton, the Welsh Bond.

[Skudor]

If that's what the Scots want, then why not?

Of course, the UK could really benefit from a decent civil war, what with over population and an outdated housing stock (might need to get some bombing of South Eastern England by Scotland's traditional French allies to help with the demolition work).

I've heard some intersting perspectives of what happens to the North Sea oil. The scots claim it's theirs, but I've heard that according to international law it would mostly fall within English national waters. Have no clue myself - but it doesn't seem it would be a clear cut, uncontested case. And England does have the bigger navy (although a navy with a history of losing to a bunch of fishermen in trawlers...).

All fun and games!

[Roebuck]

If that's what the Scots want, then why not?

Do we though?

The pro-independence lobby likes to point out that 75% of people who voted in the '97 referendum were for devolution. Sounds positive, except less than 60% of Scotland's population bothered to vote. The SNP have never managed to claim more than 30% of those who do vote.

My personal feeling is that the shower of second-raters in the Scottish Parliament would have steered us into bankruptcy before the end of their first term in charge of an independent nation.

[DaveBond21]

Hi Roebuck.


I also wonder - does it make any difference to my Scottish friends? They all live in England - will it make them feel like they should go back to Scotland?

Same with my English friends who live in Scotland - they all seem to get on really well with each other. Is it going to make us less friendly?

[james st.john smythe]

No way! i only live about 50 mile south of Scotland! i don't want to be associated with those porridge gobbling skirt wearers, thank you very much!

[DaveBond21]

Toon Army!!!!

I am from Newcastle too!!!!

[Roebuck]

Hi Roebuck.

I also wonder - does it make any difference to my Scottish friends? They all live in England - will it make them feel like they should go back to Scotland?

Can't imagine a mass repatriation taking place, even in the unlikely event of separation from the UK. Scotland has produced plenty of talent (as demonstrated by Dr Blockbuster's informative list) but has little in the way of opportunity to offer them. Most of Scotland's famous sons, Connery included, had to leave the place to make a name for themselves.

(BTW - Joseph Lister was born in Essex. His family originated from Yorkshire.)

[Warpechowski]

All Europe is trying to come togeter through EU and they are trying to separate? Ok, the culture may be diferent, but its best to hold the economic bond.

[Kilroy6644]

like alot of people, we can watch Television that we invented in 1876 (John Logie Baird).

Typo! 1926, not 1876. Baird wasn't even born until 1888.

Oh, and you forgot shooting your Rifles (James Paris Lee).

Edited by Kilroy6644, 22 December 2006 - 01:17 AM.

[Byron]

All Europe is trying to come togeter through EU and they are trying to separate? Ok, the culture may be diferent, but its best to hold the economic bond.

I put culture over economics. For this reason i endorse movements seeking independence for Quebec and even Alaska.

[Vauxhall]

I identify as Scottish and British, despite having lived in London for most of my life. For largely sentimental reasons, the idea of an independent Scotland always used to appeal, but as I've got older (and arguably wiser) I've become much more pro-union. The successes of Great Britain as a whole in the Olympics and Paralympics cannot be underestimated as a factor which will make it far more difficult for the pro-independence movement in Scotland. I think the eventual referendum will end up being a close affair, but Scotland will remain part of the United Kingdom.

[bey-columbo]

Andrew Bond was scottish and Monique Delacroix was swiss-french.

If Scotland separate from the rest of UK, the modern Bond will become a son born of foreign parents.
Because If Scotland turns independant, a scottish could not be a British.

Edited by bey-columbo, 15 October 2012 - 11:27 PM.

[Vauxhall]

Because If Scotland turns independant, a scottish could not be a British.

Actually, if Scotland turned independent, I'd have both British and Scottish citizenship. But I see your general point.

[bey-columbo]

Because If Scotland turns independant, a scottish could not be a British.

Actually, if Scotland turned independent, I'd have both British and Scottish citizenship. But I see your general point.

Sorry, I made a mistake in my thinking.... of course anyone might be british and scottish for any reason as a dubble nationality.

But I was thinking in the case of Bond. He was born from a scottish father and a swiss mother. If Scotland become an independent state, the secret agent will be a son of foreign (non-british) parents.

Edited by bey-columbo, 21 October 2012 - 12:40 AM.

[JCRendle]

Deleted

Edited by JCRendle, 21 October 2012 - 05:49 PM.

[Shaun Forever]

Yes but gentleman, lets' get to the real important part here, something that's not been mentioned in a while, should Celtic and Rangers be allowed to join the English Premier League?

[Vauxhall]

Yes but gentleman, lets' get to the real important part here, something that's not been mentioned in a while, should Celtic and Rangers be allowed to join the English Premier League?

I thought that Rangers had went into administration - they'll have enough to worry about without the English Premier League, I'd imagine!

Yes, Rangers have to fight their way out of the Scottish Irn-Bru Third Division first! Celtic gave a very credible performance against Barcelona this week. Perhaps Scottish football isn't in as dire straits as may have first been thought.

[Shaun Forever]

Indeed, and just look at Rangers attendance this season also, still very impressive.

[Scrambled Eggs]

Because If Scotland turns independant, a scottish could not be a British.

Actually, if Scotland turned independent, I'd have both British and Scottish citizenship. But I see your general point.

Actually, in this scenario it would no longer be "British" nationality.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland would have to change it's name. Great Britain is a geographic expression which includes Scotland and would have to be dropped.

You'd have joint Scottish and UK citizenship. But the UK would be something like, "United Kingdom of England, Northern Ireland and Wales".

[Dustin]

Actually I do not see it happen. Scotland has too much to lose, with little to no gain in exchange. Dissipation into smaller regions does have its advantages as far as local/regional governance is concerned, something Scotland already does have to a large extent. Ultimately the United Kingdom is infinitely more valuable for its parts than it could ever be for its sole constituents, should Scotland separate itself. A long and painful process of decline would set in, with both sides inevitably having to work out a mode of rapprochement in the end. Meanwhile the years - decades perhaps - of both sides going their separate ways would be largely lost.